State Education Commissioner To Retire

Roger Breed To Leave June 30

By Craig Nigrelli

CREATED Mar. 5, 2013

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Lincoln, NE - Nebraska State Education Commissioner Roger Breed today announced that he will retire at the end of June.

Breed has been the top education official in Nebraska since October of 2008.  The State Department of Education issued a statement noting " he led the implementation of statewide reading, mathematics, and science tests, established a new state accountability system and worked with the Nebraska court system to address absenteeism in public schools. "

In his letter of resignation to the Board, Breed said "It has been the highest professional honor to serve as Commissioner. "  He added that he wants to spend more time with his family including six grandchildren.

Breed was the previous leader of the Elkhorn public schools.  In 2011, following the deadly shooting at Millard South High School in Omaha, Breed sat down for a one-on-one interview with Action 3 News Anchor Craig Nigrelli and talked about the topic of placing metal detectors in schools.  Breed told Nigrelli at the time " I'm not sold on technological devices alone because all of them could be defeated in some way.  You have to have enough doors to clear a building in one-and-a-half to two minutes if there's a fire. " 

A State Board of Education search committee has been formed. It will announce in April how it will proceed in finding Breed's successor.